Means for bridging over fire-hose.



110,733,170, PATENTEDSEPT. s, 1903.? W. L. DOUGHTY.

MEANS FOR BRIDGING OVER FIRE HOSE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1902.

1'10 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MEANS FOR BRIDGING OVER FIRE-HOSE.

$PECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,170, datedSeptember 8, 1903.

Application filed November 28, 1902. Serial No. 183,085. (No model.)

To (0Z6 whom, it may GUN/8077b.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. DOUGHTY, residing at Oshkosh, in thecounty of VVinnebago and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Means for Bridging Over Fire-Hose, of which thefollowing is a description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in means for bridging overfire-hose.

In cases of fire great trouble and inconvenience are occasioned byreason of the firehose extending across the roadway, and this troubleand inconvenience are greatly enhanced in the case of thoroughfaresequipped with street-railway tracks or steam-railroad tracks, as thecars are necessarily prevented from continuing their travel and areconsequently held up for an indefinite time, thereby in the case ofstreet-cars completely disorganizing the schedule and in the case ofsteam-cars delaying the arrival of a train at its destination for a longperiod.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a simpleconstruction involving the employment of supplemental rails which may bequickly adjusted to the rails proper of a track and bridge over thefire-hose extending transversely over a street or thoroughfare, andthereby permitting of the continuing of the travel of the cars with buta minimum loss of time.

With the above primary object in view the invention consists of thedevices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully setforth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvementsadjusted to a track. Fig. 2 is a view looking on the inner side of oneof the rails equipped with my improved supplemental rail, the cross-rodbeing in section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line a 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detailview of one of the wedges looking on the inner side thereof. Fig. 6 is across-section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 shows a modificationof the wedging mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 7 7 indicate the two rails of anordinary railroad-track, and 8 S the two supplemental ally taperdownwardly to their ends, so that when adjusted to the main rails a carwill gradually ride up from the main rails onto these supplemental railsand then gradually ride down again onto the main rails. Each of thesesupplemental rails is provided at a desired point between its ends,preferably at a medial point thereof, with one or more recesses 9,extending upwardly from the lower edge of said supplemental rail, therecesses of the two supplemental railsbeing preferably opposite eachother, so that they may conveniently receive therein a line of hoseextending across the track. In the accompanying drawings I show eachsupplemental rail as provided with two of the recesses, and each recessis of sufflcient width to accommodate two lines of hose.

Any desirable means for detachably securing the supplemental rails tothe tread of the main rails may be provided, and in the accompanyingdrawings I have shown several devices for this purpose and which will.now be explained. One of the means illustrated consists of elongatedflanges 10, rigid with the inner side of each supplemental rail anddisposed at suitable distances apart. The lower edge of each flangeextends below the lower edge of the supplemental rail and bears againstthe inner side of the tread of the main rail. It is firmly secured tosaid tread by means of a set-screw 11, which turns through the flange,and its inner end impin ges against the tread. If preferred, a pluralityof these set-screws may beemployed for each flange. While I have onlyshown these flanges on the inside of the supplemental rails, yet, ifdesired, they may also be arranged on the outside of said rails and bearagainst the outer sides of the treads of the main rails. Under thisconstruction the flanges would straddle the treads of the main rails.

I furthermore show in connection with my invention a means for securingthe supplemental rails to the main rails, which is only applicable incases where the main rails are not embedded. In large cities the railsare shown in Fig. 5, in order to firmly bite thegenerally embedded tosuch an extent that only the tread portions are above the surface. Insuch cases the devices about to be described would not be applicable. Insmaller cities and towns, however, the rails are frequently laid withoutembedding the same, and in these instances the construction about to bedescribed will answer admirably. This construction consists of wedgingmechanism. (Illustrated in detailin Figs. 4 and 5.) One portion ofthe wedging mechanism consists of a vertically-disposed member 12,provided at its lower end with a hook 13, whichis adapted to extendunder the tread of the rail. The edge of the hook which engages theunder side of the tread is preferably toothed or serrated, as mostclearly under surface of the tread. The upper portion of the member 12is reduced to form an upwardly extending stem 14, which stem passesthrough an opening 15 in a horizontal member 16, said horizontal memberextending through an opening 17 in the supplemental rail. The member 12islocked in the opening 15 by means of a wedgekey 18, extending throughan elongated opening 19in the stem 14. The length of the opening 19 isprolonged asufficient distance beyond the width of the key as to enablethe key to engage the opening notwithstanding any variations in thewidth of the treads of the main rails. The horizontal member 16 isfurther retained in the opening 17 of the supplemental raiLby means of awedge-key 20, passed through an opening 21 in the outer projecting endof said horizontal member 16 and bearing against the outer side of thesupplemental rail. This opening 21 is sufficiently elongated to permitthe key to engage the opening notwithstanding variations in the width ofthe supplemental rail. If desired, another vertically-disposed membersimilar to 12 may be arranged against the outer side of the supplementalrail and its hooked lower end extend beneath the tread on the outersides of the main rail. This is illustrated in the detail view Fig. 7,in which the horizontal member 16 instead of being provided with ahorizontally-elongated opening 21 is provided with a vertical opening22, through which the upwardly-extending stem 14 of the outervertically-disposed or hooked member 12 passes, and another wedge'key 18is passed through the elongated opening 19 of this outervertically-disposed or hooked member 12.

In order to prevent the rails from spreading or being forced outwardlylaterally, I employ a cross-tie rod or brace-rod 23. The opposite endsof this rod are threaded and pass through openings in plates 24 24,disposed against the inner sides of the supplemental rails and extendingdownwardly against the inner sides of the treads of the main rails,being secured to said'sides of the treads of the main rails by means ofset-screws 25, two of said screws being preferably employed for eachplate.

Locking-nuts 26 26 are turned on each threaded end of the tie-rod, oneof said nuts being turned on the outer extremity of each end of the rodand against the outer side of the supplemental rail and the other nutbeing turned on the threaded portion of the rod and against the plate24. By the employment of this tierod it will be evident that aneffectual brace is provided which will prevent the supplemental railsfrom spreading or from being forced laterally outwardly, and theprovision of the nuts 26 enables the tie-rod to be locked tightly at theproperly-adjusted width to fit the main rails. The tie or brace rod ispreferably bent downwardly, so that the safety appliances attached tothe front of street-cars or the cow-catchers of locomotiveengines mayclear the rod. In cases where the main rails are embedded the tie-rodmay be turned upwardly slightly, so that the lower or depressed portionthereof will rest on the surface of the embedding substance.

While I prefer to employ the tie-rod above described, yet I do not wishto be understood as limiting myself thereto, inasmuch as the same may beentirely omitted without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. It is preferably used, however, as it is obvious that it addsto the efliciency of the device. I also wish it understood that, ifdesired, the supplemental rails may be secured to the main rails merelyby the employment of the elongated flanges 10, arranged either on theinside or on the outside of the supplemental rail or on both sides ofsaid rails. I also wish it understood that these elongated flanges 10may be omitted and merely the wedging mechanism employed, or theelongated flanges 10 and the wedging mechanism may be employed togetherin one structure, and in any case the tie-rod may be utilized or not, asdesired.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide a devicewhich may be quickly adjusted to the permanent or main rails of arailroad-track and bridge over a fire-hose, and thereby avoid the delayswhich now occur in cases of fire when a hose is laid across a track.

My improved device may be carried in a convenient place in a street-car,so as to be readily accessible to the motorman for adj ustment to atrack, or may be carried in the cab of a locomotive-engine, so that theengineer may readily adjust it to the track. After the cars havetraveled over the supplemental rails it is obvious that said rails maythen be quickly detached from the main rails.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In means for bridging over afire-hose, the combination of fixed railway-rails, supplemental shortrails each provided with a recess or recesses extending upwardly fromits lower edge and adapted to receive therein a fire hose extending overthefixed rails, and wedging mechanism for detachably securing eachsupplemental rail to a main rail, said wedging mechanism consisting of avertically-disposed member provided at its lower end with a hook fittingbeneath the tread of the main rail, and provided near its upper end withan opening,ahorizontal memberpassing through an opening in thesupplemental rail, and itself provided with an opening near one end andthrough which opening the verticallydisposed member extends, a wedge-keypassing through the opening in the upper end of the vertically-disposedmember and bearing against the horizontal member, and means engaging andlocking the opposite end of the horizontal member.

2. In means for bridging over a fire-hose, the combination of fixedrailway-rails, supplemental short rails each provided with a recess orrecesses extending upwardly from its lower edge and adapted to receivetherein a firehose extending over the fixed rails, and wedging mechanismfor detachably securing each supplemental rail to a main rail, saidwedging mechanism consisting of a vertically-disposed member provided atits lower end with a hook fitting beneath the tread of the main rail,and provided near its upper end with an opening,ahorizontal memberpassing through an opening in the supplemental rail, and itself providedwith openings near opposite ends, one of said openings having thevertically-disposed member passing therethrough,

and wedge-keys, one of said keys passing through the opening in theupper end of the vertically disposed member and bearing against thehorizontal member and the other key passing through the opening in theopposite end of the horizontal member and bearing against the side ofthe supplemental rail.

3. In means for bridging over fire-hose, the combination of fixedrailway-rails, supplemental short rails each provided with a re- 40 cessor recesses extending upwardly from its lower edge and adapted, when thesupplemental rail is adjusted to the main rail, to receive therein afire-hose extending over the V fixed rails, plates adjacent to the innersides of opposite supplemental and fixed rails, a cross-tie rod, havingits opposite ends passing through said plates and through thesupplemental rails, nuts on each end of the tie-rod, one of said nutsadapted to be turned against the outer side of the supplemental rail,and the other nut against the plate, and set-screws turning through theplates. and impinging against the main rails.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. DOUGHTY.

"Witnesses:

DAVID LAwsoN, LoIs A. LAWSON.

